It was the Latvian's first title on clay since her 2017 French Open Grand Slam victory.
Aryna Sabalenka exemplified consistency in 2025 and arrives for the November 1-8 tournament having retained her US Open title in September, after finishing runner-up to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff at Roland Garros.
The world number closed out the victory despite a few service wobbles late on, improving her win-loss record against Rybakina to 8-5.
Paul must overcome defending champion Alcaraz in the quarter-finals to keep his quest for a maiden Grand Slam title alive.
Sabalenka, who has never reached the final at Roland Garros, believes she is now better equipped both physically and mentally to challenge on clay, a surface she concedes took her years to master.
IMAGES from all the action on Day 8 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday.
French Open runner-up Aryna Sabalenka broke down in tears and apologised for what she labelled a 'terrible final' after losing 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 to American Coco Gauff on Saturday.
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the most powerful player on the tour, will try to establish herself as an all-rounder with her first title in Paris.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka staged a grand fightback to beat Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and enter the women's singles final at the US Open on Thursday.
Check out Aryna Sabalenka's delightful Australian Open trophy photoshoot
Aryna Sabalenka showed nerves of steel and champion's resolve to defeat Elena Rybakina in their Berlin Open quarter-final on Friday, saving four match points in the final-set tiebreak.
'I just don't want to face that hate again.'
The loss ends five-time major champion Swiatek's bid to become the first woman to win the tournament in the Southern California desert three times.
Sabalenka relied on her trademark powerful serve to hold firm in the key moments, winning two tiebreaks to take her tally to 18 for the season, the most by any women's singles player in the professional era.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the matches played at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Aryna Sabalenka overwhelmed Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 with a impressive display of raw power to reach her third successive Australian Open final on Thursday.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka proved a class above American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova to win the US Open women's final on Saturday.
Aryna Sabalenka got the revenge she craved on Friday by defeating Leylah Fernandez to erase the sting of her 2021 US Open semi-final upset.
IMAGES from the action from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday.
Versatility is essential and it has come to the fore for Sabalenka in recent tournaments, where she has used not just her brutal strength to put opponents on the back foot but also applied a touch of finesse to leave them wrong-footed.
Sabalenka spent eight weeks at the summit last year before Swiatek overtook her with a victory at the season-ending WTA Finals and the Belarusian hopes for a longer stay as 'N1'.
Tiger-tattooed Aryna Sabalenka clawed her way back from injury and disappointment to hoist the US Open trophy at last.
Aryna Sabalenka will bid for a third Australian Open title in succession as if she was going for her first
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka shook off a second-set blip to win three back-to-back Wuhan Open titles after beating Chinese fifth seed and home favourite Zheng Qinwen
Sabalenka looked bemused when an out call went against her to give Belgian Mertens the first service break and a 4-3 lead in the opening set of their quarter-final, and a check by umpire Miriam Bley confirmed the call.
Images from the US Open women's singles quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Tuesday.
Coco Gauff ended local heroine Lois Boisson's dream run at the French Open with a ruthless 6-1, 6-2 victory on Thursday to set up a final clash with top seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Aryna Sabalenka returns to the US Open as the reigning champion and bookmakers' favourite, but her 2025 season has been anything but smooth sailing.
Top seed Sabalenka proved to be at another level, though, racking up 32 winners for the match to leave Badosa chasing shadows under the lights at Rod Laver Arena.
Renowned for his speed on the ice, Koltsov won the Russian Super League title with Salavat Yulaev in 2008 and more recently returned to the club as an assistant coach.
Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray have pledged to support relief funds for children affected by the invasion.
Carlos Alcaraz, who advanced to the last eight in Cincinnati for the third time, has now won 36 of his last 38 matches.
Images from Day 1 of the 2025 French Open in Paris on Sunday.
Images from the US Open women's singles semi-finals at Flushing Meadows on Thursday.
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina accused Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka of adding fuel to the fire by standing at the net waiting for a handshake she knew would never happen!
Aryna Sabalenka's return to top spot in the WTA rankings after leapfrogging Iga Swiatek has set up a thrilling end to the season, with next month's WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia likely to prove decisive in the race to end the year as world number one.
After successfully defending her Australian Open trophy in January, Aryna Sabalenka won the US Open crown in September for her third Grand Slam title.
Aryna Sabalenka will battle American 19th seed Madison Keys in the final on Saturday looking to become the first woman since Martina Hingis from 1997-99 to win the Australian Open title three times in a row.
Aryna Sabalenka took a step closer to a first trophy of the year before her Australian Open title defence begins later this month.
Elena Rybakina powered into her first Cincinnati Open semi-final after stunning defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 6-4 on Friday, while five-times Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from a second-set blip to beat Andrey Rublev.
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